RELIVING Friday Night Lights: Watauga @ Freedom

By Zach Smith. MORGANTON, N.C. — The high school football action was wild and wooly on Oct. 20, as a highly athletic Freedom team hosted a precision-focused, disciplined contingent from Watauga. The visiting Pioneers outlast the Patriots, 54-48, with a number thrills and spills, twists and turns and could-have-beens along the way. Beginning with our Pregame Notes, here is how it unfolded.

Pregame Notes

• Watauga (8-0, 3-0) faces Freedom (3-5, 2-1) on the road
  • Watauga can clinch Northwestern Conference title with victory
  • Watauga leads NWC in scoring offense (42.3 pts/gm) and scoring defense (18.4 pts allowed/gm)
  • Freedom ranks third in NWC in both scoring offense and scoring defense
  • Watauga has not lost to Freedom since 2015

Watauga Team Leaders

• QB/DB #4 Maddox Greene (Jr)
• TE/LB #9 Jackson Pryor (Sr)
• RB #44 Everett Gryder (So)
• LB #6 Trathan Gragg (Jr)
• WB/DB #12 Evan Burroughs (So)

PLAY BY PLAY

• Freedom wins toss, defers to second half

• Watauga ball at their own 22
  • Everett Gryder carries right for 13 yards
  • Maddox Greene carries left for 6 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 6 yards
  • Gryder carries right for 14 yards

• Penalty: False start against Watauga, 1st and 15 at Freedom 44

• • Gryder carries up the middle for 6 yards
  • Gryder carries left for 7 yards

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #12 Evan Burroughs 31-yard rush (1) for TD

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

Watauga 7 Freedom 0

• After short kickoff, Freedom ball at their own 41
  • Jaylen Barnett carries left for 17 yards
  • Kaden Davis pass incomplete
  • Davis pass complete right to Kaleb Greene for 5 yards
  • Davis pass complete right to Kayden Lytle for 8 yards
  • Barnett carries left for 20 yards
  • Davis pass complete left to Kobe Johnson for 2 yards
  • Davis pass incomplete
  • Barnett carries up the middle for 3 yards
• Penalty: False start against Freedom, 4th and 8 at Watauga 9

• • Davis pass incomplete
  • Turnover on downs

• Watauga ball at their own 9
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 16 yards
  • Greene carries left for 44 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 4 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 9 yards

• Penalty: Holding against Watauga, 1st and 17 at Freedom 25

• • Burroughs carries right for 10 yards
  • Greene carries up the middle for 8 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 6 yards

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #44 Everett Gryder 1-yard rush (1) for TD

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

Watauga 14 Freedom 0

• Freedom ball at their own 33
  • Davis pass incomplete
  • Barnett carries up the middle for 5 yards
  • Davis pass incomplete

Second Quarter

• Freedom ball, 4th and 5 at their own 38
  • Freedom punts

• Watauga ball at their own 31
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 4 yards
  • Burroughs carries right for 16 yards
  • Greene carries up the middle for 11 yards

• Offsetting personal fouls, Watauga given 5 additional yards

• • Greene pass complete right to Morgan Henry for 30 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 3 yards

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #44 Everett Gryder 1-yard rush (2) for TD

• Offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, touchdown stands

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is no good

Watauga 20 Freedom 0

• Penalty: Facemask against Watauga, 15 yards added to kickoff return
• Freedom ball at Watauga 45

• Penalty: Holding against Freedom, 1st and 10 at Watauga 45

• • Barnett carries right for 25, fumbles
    • Fumble recovered by Freedom
  • Barnett carries left for no gain
  • Davis pass complete right to Lytle for 15 yards

• TOUCHDOWN FREEDOM

• • #7 Jaylen Barnett 5-yard rush (1) for TD

• • #16 Jake Kota PAT is good

Watauga 20 Freedom 7

• Watauga ball at their own 29
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 3 yards
  • Burroughs carries right for 12 yards

• Penalty: Illegal procedure against Watauga, 1st and 15 at their own 39

• • Greene carries up the middle for 5 yards

• Penalty: Holding against Watauga, 2nd and 8 at their own 46

• • Greene pass incomplete
  • Jackson Pryor carries left for 11 yards
  • Greene sacked for loss of 7 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 5 yards
  • Greene scrambles left for 14 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 5 yards

• Penalty: Personal foul against Freedom, 1st and 10 at Freedom 13

• Penalty: Holding against Watauga, 1st and 14 at Freedom 17

• • Burroughs tackled for loss of 8 yards

• Penalty: Personal foul against Freedom, 2nd and 5 at Freedom 8

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #12 Evan Burroughs 8-yard rush (2) for TD

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

Watauga 27 Freedom 7

• Freedom ball at their own 41
  • Davis pass incomplete
  • Barnett carries up the middle for 16 yards
  • Davis pass complete right to Lytle for 8 yards
  • Timeout Watauga (1)

• Penalty: Personal foul against Watauga, 1st and 10 at Watauga 20

• Penalty: Holding against Freedom, 1st and 20 at Watauga 30

• • Davis pass incomplete
  • Davis pass incomplete

• Penalty: Unsportsmanlike conduct against Freedom sideline, 3rd and 35 at Watauga 45

• Barnett carries up the middle for 1 yard

SECOND HALF

•  Freedom ball at their own 44 after short Watauga kickoff
  • Barnett carries up the middle for 4 yards
  • Davis pass complete left to Johnson for 25 yards
  • Barnett carries right for 22 yards

• Penalty: false start against Freedom, 1st and Goal at Watauga 10

• • Barnett carries left for 9 yards

• TOUCHDOWN FREEDOM

• • #7 Jaylen Barnett 1-yard rush (2) for TD

• • #16 Jake Kota PAT is good

Watauga 27 Freedom 14

• Watauga ball at their own 40
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 6 yards
  • Greene carries left for no gain
  • Greene carries up the middle for 17 yards
  • Gryder carries left for 17 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 7 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 8 yards

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #44 Everett Gryder 5-yard rush (3) for TD

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

Watauga 34 Freedom 14

• TOUCHDOWN FREEDOM
  • #7 Jaylen Barnett 75-yard kick return (1)

• • #16 Jake Kota PAT is blocked

Watauga 34 Freedom 20

• • Freedom attempts onside kick, Watauga ball at Freedom 49

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #4 Maddox Greene 49-yard rush (1) for TD

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

Watauga 41 Freedom 20

• Penalty: Kick out of bounds
• Freedom ball at the 50
• • Barnett carries left for 6 yards

• TOUCHDOWN FREEDOM

• • #5 Kaden Davis 44-yard pass (1) to #3 Kobe Johnson (1) for TD

• • #16 Jake Kota PAT is good

Watauga 41 Freedom 27

• Watauga ball at their own 36
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 9 yards
  • Gryder carries right for 7 yards
  • Greene carries left for 7 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 28 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 4 yards
  • Greene tackled for loss of 1 yard

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #4 Maddox Greene 10-yard rush (2) for TD

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is no good

Watauga 47 Freedom 27

• Penalty: Offsides against Watauga, Watauga to kick off from their own 35

• Freedom ball at Watauga 48
  • Barnett carries right for 15 yards
  • Barnett carries up the middle for 2 yards
  • Timeout Watauga (1)

• TOUCHDOWN FREEDOM

• • #5 Kaden Davis 31-yard pass (2) to #2 Kayden Lytle (1) for TD

• • #16 Jake Kota PAT is good

Watauga 47 Freedom 34

• Freedom attempts onside kick, Watauga ball at Freedom 49

• TURNOVER: Gryder fumbles, Freedom recovers

• Freedom ball at their own 46
  • Barnett carries up the middle for 6 yards

FOURTH QUARTER

• Freedom ball, 2nd and 4 at Watauga 48
  • Davis pass incomplete
  • Barnett carries up the middle for 1 yard
  • Timeout Freedom (1)

• Penalty: Offsides against Watauga, 1st and 10 at Watauga 41

• • Barnett carries left for no gain
  • Davis pass complete left to Johnson for 16 yards
  • Davis pass incomplete
  • Davis pass complete right to Lytle for 10 yards
  • Barnett carries up the middle for 2 yards

• TOUCHDOWN FREEDOM

• • #5 Kaden Davis 8-yard pass (3) to #3 Kobe Johnson (2) for TD

• • #16 Jake Kota PAT is good

Watauga 47 Freedom 41

• Watauga ball at their own 43
  • Greene carries up the middle for 6 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 5 yards
  • Greene carries up the middle for 7 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 4 yards
  • Greene carries for loss of 2 yards
  • Greene carries up the middle for 10 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 1 yard
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 2 yards

• Penalty: Holding against Watauga, 1st and 9 at Freedom 28

• • Burroughs carries left for 11 yards
  • Greene carries up the middle for 3 yards
  • Burroughs carries right for 8 yards
  • Timeout Watauga (2)

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #44 Everett Gryder 1-yard rush (4) for TD

• • #41 Jack WIlson PAT is good

Watauga 54 Freedom 41

• • Freedom ball at the 50
  • Davis pass complete right to Lytle for 19 yards
  • Davis pass incomplete
  • Davis pass incomplete

• Penalty: Illegal shift against Freedom, 3rd and 15 at Watauga 36

• • Timeout Watauga (3)
  • Davis pass complete over the middle to Barnett for 15 yards
  • Davis pass incomplete
  • Davis scrambles left for 15 yards

• TOUCHDOWN FREEDOM

• • #5 Kaden Davis 6-yard pass (4) to #11 Kaleb Greene (1) for TD

• • #16 Jake Kota PAT is good

Watauga 54 Freedom 48

• • Freedom’s onside kick recovered by Watauga at their own 39

• Penalty: Offsides against Freedom, 1st and 5 at Watauga 44

• Greene takes a knee
• Timeout Freedom (3)
• Greene takes a knee
• Greene takes a knee

FINAL SCORE: Watauga 54, Freedom 48

Watauga Noteables

• QB/DB #4 Maddox Greene

• • • 17 car., 194 yds, 11.4 avg, 2 TD

• RB #44 Everett Gryder

• • • 32 car., 207 yds, 6.5 avg, 4 TD

• WB/DB #12 Evan Burroughs

• • 8 car., 88 yds, 11.0 avg, 2 TD

Freedom Noteables

• QB #5 Kaden Davis

• • • 15/27 (55.6%), 212 yds, 4 TD

• RB #7 Jaylen Barnett

• • 20 car., 160 yds, 8.0 avg, 2 TD